


The Girl who Lived and the Department of Mysteries

by DivineRedhead



Series: The Girl Who Lived [14]
Category: Harry Potter - Fandom
Genre: Department of Mysteries, Gen, Harry is a girl, The Golden Trio, The Prophecy - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2014-05-11
Updated: 2016-04-24
Packaged: 2018-01-24 07:10:26
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 6
Words: 5,504
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1596095
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DivineRedhead/pseuds/DivineRedhead
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a trap!</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. It's a Trap

**Author's Note:**

> As always, the Harry Potter series belongs to J.K. Rowling. I'm merely borrowing it for my own (and your) entertainment.

She kept her wand arm steady, her expression outwardly calm even as she inwardly cursed herself a fool. Hermione had warned her, hell, _Snape_ had warned her of the danger of her visions. While she’d studied the books her bushy-haired friend had forced upon her, done the exercises the surly Potions Master had demanded of her, she foolishly believed herself to have mastered the art of Occlumency. Arrogantly confident in her newfound abilities, she’d believed that she could use the mental bridge between her and Voldemort to figure out his plans.

There’d been desperation in her actions, as well. Although she’d learned to block out the dark wizard’s emotions, she’d still felt helpless against the events happening around her. Mr. Weasley’s accident at the ministry, the Headmaster’s continued avoidance of her, all of this compounded by Umbridge’s terrorizing of the school, was it any wonder that the moment she lowered her guard she’d been hit with a vision…?

There was something at the Ministry that Voldemort wanted _desperately_ ; that much had been obvious in all the visions she’d had previously. It was even more clear that the adults in her life were aware of it, but they’d been bound and determined to keep her out of the loop.

Staring down the group of hooded Deatheaters surrounding them on all sides, Harri found herself wishing she had listened to them.

Standing just behind her to the left, Neville shifted his feet anxiously, his arm brushing hers as he strained to keep his arm steady. She regarded him briefly out of the corner of her eye, inwardly cringing at the dark bruise blooming under his eye. Behind him, Luna knelt protectively over an unconscious Ron and Hermione. Ginny hunched beside her, wand up even as she wound one arm tight around her ribs, her breathing labored.

She’d dragged her friends into this nightmare, and now they were all going to die. And for what… a cheap ruse and chintzy glass orb…?!

Some of her resignation must have finally shown on her face, for one of the Deatheaters took a step towards her, slowly and casually like a cat towards a wounded bird. With an elegant flick of his wand, the grotesque mask faded away to reveal the pale, aristocratic features of Lucius Malfoy.

“Come now, dear girl,” he purred, his pale eyes gleaming. “Don’t you think you’ve run long enough?” He stretched out a gloved hand. “Be a good girl now and give me the Prophecy.”

Wary, Harri took a cautious step back, angling her body to keep Neville and the others behind her. “Only if you promise to let the others go,” she murmured.

The other Deatheaters chuckled darkly.

“Silly little thing,” Malfoy chuckled. “You’re in no position to make demands. You see, you are outclassed and outnumbered – there’s ten of us and only one of you.”

“You mean two of us!” Neville exclaimed, stepping out from behind her. Harri had no time to push him back as one of the larger Deatheaters rushed up and seized Neville, dragging him forward and pinning his arms behind his back. His wand fell to the ground to with a clatter.

“No…!” Harri surged forward, halted by Malfoy’s raised hand. “Let him go…!”

The Malfoy patriarch fixed her with a predatory grin before turning to study their captive. Using the butt of his wand, he studied the boy’s bruised countenance with a bored air. “So you’re Longbottom, hmm?” he sneered, clearly unimpressed with what he saw. “Pureblood or no, your death will come as no great loss. And besides, your grandmother should be more than accustomed to losing family members to our cause…”

Harri’s face paled at the implications in his words. Her panicked gaze shot down to glass orb clutched in pale white fingers. He wouldn’t dare… would he…?

Neville’s eyes met hers, his gaze resolute despite the fear she could see there plainly. “Don’t give it to them, Harri…” he entreated. “Whatever you do, don---!”

One of the Deatheaters struck him hard, shoving him to the ground. The hooded figure yanked their mask free, revealing Bellatrix Lestrange’s gleefully manic face. “Aww, the widdle Wongbottom considers himself to hero, does he?” she crooned. “Let’s see how he measures up to his parents, eh?” She slanted hard eyes over at Harri. “Unless Potter gives us what we want….”

“No, Harri! Don’t do it!”

Bellatrix’s wand lashed out like a whip, “ _ **CRUCIO**_!”

Harri let out an anguished cry as Neville began to scream.


	2. Pandemonium

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> No matter what, she can't let them die...

She remembered the pain of the Cruciatus curse; remembered the sensation of every nerve in your body screaming, your blood burning. She remembered the look on Neville’s face as the man they believed to be Alastair Moody tortured a spider, watching gleefully as it shrieked in pain. Dreaming of Sirius being tortured within these same halls had nearly caused her to collapse in a dead faint. Watching Neville writhe and scream under its effects was worse than anything Harri had seen thus far. Far, far worse.

“Leave him alone!” she screamed out. “Please!”

Lucius cast a glance at Bellatrix, who after a few more agonizing moments eventually cancelled the spell. Neville’s screams ceased, morphing into quiet, gasping sobs as he lay twitching on the ground.

“There’ll be more of that,” the witch vowed gleefully. “Unless you give us that Prophecy, all of your little friends will die!”

There was no choice, Harri knew. She gazed down at Neville, his face still awash in pain. She thought of Ron, concussed then nearly strangled by that tentacle brain; Luna and Ginny, and poor Hermione who had laid there so still after being struck. ‘ _I can’t… I can’t let them die_...’

She raised the Prophecy, warm like a rock that had laid in the sun all day, reaching out to place it in Malfoy’s outstretched hands.

Suddenly there was a loud bang, followed by a whoosh as several figures apparated into view. Harri’s eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of Moody, Tonks, Kingsley, Lupin, and…

‘ _Sirius_ …?!’

Malfoy turned in their direction, a snarl on his face as he raised his wand. Unfortunately for him, Tonks was faster, whipping out a Stunning Spell that knocked him backwards. Bellatrix let out a shriek of outrage, firing off a spell as she leapt over the fallen blonde. The young auror countered with a block, taking off after her. The other Deatheaters scattered around the room, immediately engaging the Order members with their own retaliatory spells.

Ducking down to avoid any stray spells, Harri crawled over to Neville’s side, quickly drawing him up by his shoulders. “Are you okay?” she exclaimed, flinching as another spell ricocheted off the floor to their right, sending up dust and debris.

Neville hesitated before answering with a nod, pushing himself up on shaky limbs. Harri steadied him as best she could, green eyes racing around them room in panic. The others… where had they gone?

“Harri—watch out!”

A thick arm reached out, locking around Harri’s neck and yanking her upwards and off her feet. Craning her head as best she could, she looked up into the twisted face of Antonin Dolohov – responsible for the murder of the Prewetts, the one who had struck Hermione down. He grinned darkly, his features looking even more grotesque. “Give me the Prophecy, little girl…” His grip tightened, causing her to wheeze. “I won’t ask again…”

“Let go of her!” Neville growled, rushing forward and jabbing his wand into Dolohov’s arm. The wand snapped in half, giving off a sharp spark before it fizzled and died. The older wizard howled, releasing his grip.

Harri crumpled to the floor, her vision spotting even as she let out a gasping cry of, “Stupefy!”

Dolohov hit the ground with a thud.

Neville stumbled to her side, helping her to her feet. “Thanks!” she wheezed, gripping his arm tightly. “Now let’s find the others!”


	3. Cavalry

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Help arrives in the form of the Order.

Harri and Neville raced across the ruined room, intent on seeking out their friends.  As they ran, MacNair appeared before them, wand at the ready and a curse on his lips, only to be rammed into from the side by Sirius himself. The Deatheater staggered, readying himself to retaliate, only to be rocked across the jaw by one of Sirius’ fists, hitting the ground like a sack of potatoes.

“Sirius!” Harri exclaimed, tears of relief pricking at her eyes.  Seeing the other wizard whole, hale, and Uncrucio'd loosened the knot of worry in her chest.

“Harri,” Her godfather’s eyes roamed across her face, his expression a myriad of relief and concern at the already visible discoloration around her neck. “Are you alright?”

“M’fine,” she exclaimed around her bruised windpipe. “But the others---!”

“Are well in hand,” he assured them. “Kingsley and Remus have taken them to safety. Now we’ve got to do the same for you two.”

She nodded, gripping Neville’s hand as she followed behind the older wizard through the melee, ducking and hiding when instructed. They’d made it halfway across the room, when they encountered Tonks and Bellatrix dueling on top of a ruined dais. The older witch wielded her wand like a sword, lashing out with a flash of sparks that had Tonks toppling backwards with a sharp cry of pain. The auror wobbled precariously, before toppling down off the side.

Sirius let out a curse, firing off a spell of his own. Bellatrix blocked, turning his way with a snarl. Spotting Harri behind him, her eyes widened, her smile turning wicked.

“Damn…” Pushing her behind him once more, Sirius raised his wand and took on a defensive stance. “Harri, take the prophecy and Neville and get out of here…”

And leave him to face Bellatrix alone…? She looked to see where the other Order members had gotten to; Moody was Roldophus and Rabastan the same time. Dolohov and MacNair were still down, as was Tonks. There was no sign of Malfoy, so she had to assume he was still unconscious. Both Kingsley and Remus were still gone.

As if he could see the worry on her face, Sirius fixed her with a reassuring look. “I’ll be fine, Harri…” he promised. “Now go…”

She remembered her vision. False though it may have been, the thought of Sirius hurt, being tortured by Deatheaters because of her foolish mistake… “I can’t…”

Bellatrix let out a mad giggle. “Poor widdle baby Potter,” she mocked. “Look at the mess you’ve made! All that fuss, and now Sirius has come to save you! But who’s going to save him, I wonder?”

Sirius let out a jeering laugh. “Still off your rocker, eh, Bella?” he sneered. “Azkaban’s done you no favors, I see!”

“You would know, wouldn’t you, cousin?” she snorted back. “ _ **CONFRINGO**_!”

Wand flashing, Sirius put up a shield spell, hazarding a quick glance back at the two youths behind him. “Go, now!” he ordered.

She could feel Neville tugging on her sleeve, trying to guide her away to safety, but she couldn’t get her body to comply. She remained rooted in place, watching the volley of spells rocketing back and forth across the room. There was a gleefully manic look upon Bellatrix’s face that gave Harri chills, but the dark and angry smirk spread across Sirius’ face was equally concerning.

She took a lurching step in his direction only to be tugged backwards by Neville. “No, Harri!” he urged. “We have to go!”

“Potter!” Both youths whipped their heads around, spotting Lucius Malfoy stalking towards them, wand raised. “I will have that Prophecy!”

Harri shoved the orb into Neville’s hands, brandishing her wand. “Guard this!” she instructed, whipping her arm out with a sharp cry of, “Expelliarmus!”

The blond wizard blocked the spell easily, firing off one of his own. Harri quickly called up a shield, but the force of his attack had her stumbling backwards. They continued to fire off a volley of spells, the young witch struggling to keep her footing on the uneven terrain. The pureblood patriarch performed a quick and complex wand movement, the kickback startling Harri so badly that she stumbled backwards even as she yelled out, ‘ _Protego Maxima’_. His spell hit her shield with a loud bang, sending her toppling backwards into Neville.

The boy let out a yelp, reaching out to steady her. Unfortunately Harri’s arm knocked into his, causing the prophecy to slip from his grasp. They all watched helplessly as it fell to the floor.


	4. Take a Fall

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Recklessness has its cost...

Malfoy let out a startled oath, darting forward as the glass orb slipped from Harri’s fingers. Despite his efforts however, the orb hit the ground with a loud crash. Glittering shards scattered across the ruined floor and then thin smoke billowed upwards and outwards, a pale and eerie blue. For a few moments it lingered, briefly coalescing in the form of a bespectacled woman. The ethereal figure silently mouthed a few indiscernible words before fading into nothingness.

“I’m sorry, Harri…” Neville began. “I didn’t mean…”

“It’s fine, Nev…” she assured him, positioning herself in front of him once more. Part of her puzzled over the spectacle they had just witnessed while another part urged her to keep vigilant. She turned her gaze to Malfoy once more, green eyes flashing as she kicked a few shards away with the toe of her shoe. “Now no one will have it… Especially Voldemort…”

Lifting his gaze from the remnants of the prophecy, Malfoy’s expression twisted into one of cold fury, the hatred in his eyes promising swift retribution. “You little wretch,” he hissed, clenching his wand tightly. “You will pay for that…”

She scoffed in response. “So will you, once your master learns that you failed!”

His eyes flashed, his wand lashing out once more. “ ** _Avada_** …”

“ _Stupefy_!!” Malfoy was knocked backwards by two separate stunners, hers and another’s. Startled, Harri turned, blinking in surprise to realize that Sirius had performed the stunning spell the same time she had. Catching her gaze, he fixed her with a grin that held both relief and pride.

She flushed a little thought of him being proud of her, but the feeling was once again replaced with worry when he turned his attention back to his duel with Bellatrix. Had he really turned his back on her just deal with Malfoy?

Hermione’s concerns about his involvement in their plans suddenly came to mind, giving her further pause. She’d called him reckless… wondering if his endorsement of the DA came from a desire to ‘live vicariously’ through their plans. She hadn’t been alone in her thoughts, of course; even Mrs. Weasley had accused him of seeing her father James in her place, his encouraging her a way of reliving his old Marauding days. She’d never given any credence to such an idea, but watching him leaping across ruined steps and stones, flinging spells at his cousin with wild abandon, Harri couldn’t help but feel a race of fear.

She remembered Snape’s taunts about him being useless to the Order, the dark look that crept across his face in response. He’d been cooped up in that hellish house for too long, yes, but surely he wouldn’t be reckless just for recklessness’ sake, would he?

Neville let out a gasp, gripping Harri’s sleeve once again. “Harri, look!” he exclaimed, relief in his tone. “It’s Dumbledore! He’s here!”

The brunette whipped her head around; sure enough, there stood the old wizard in the large entryway flanked by Lupin and Kingsley, wand at the ready. While she was relieved at his arrival, there was a small part of her that felt a sharp stab of anger. The man had spoken barely a few sentences to her since her hearing and now he decided to appear?!

At the sight of Supreme Mugwump, several Deatheaters turned tail and fled. Heedless of their presence, Sirius and Bellatrix continued to duel fiercely, as did Moody, Roldophus and Rabastan. The Headmaster fired off a complicated spell that shot out in a sharp streak, splitting into two. It shot off in the two brothers’ directions, binding round them like rope as it knocked them off their feet.

Heedless to their plight, Bellatrix continued her assault against her younger kin. Wild and unhinged, she conjured spell after spell, forcing Sirius to take on a defensive stance. Surveying the area behind him a wicked grin curled across her face as she spotted caught a glimpse of Malfoy - goodness, would he not stay down?! - skulking towards them from behind.

They were looking to double-team him, Harri realized. Sirius was good, but could he handle both Deatheaters at once? She cast a quick glance at Neville, now wandless, biting her lip in indecision. She couldn’t leave him defenseless any more than she could leave her godfather to fight two enemies alone. Fortunately she was saved from having to choose when she spotted Remus and Kingsley making their way towards their location. Giving Neville a quick nudge in their direction, she shot off towards her godfather, heedless of the three wizards’ startled objections.

“I’m here, Sirius!” she exclaimed, sliding across the ruined floor to his unprotected side, wand at the ready. “I can help!

Sirius fixed her with a look, but was cut off as she fired off a hurried Protego. He gaped in surprise before letting out a quick sigh of relief when what looked like a particularly nasty cutting hex from Malfoy ricocheted harmlessly off it. When Harri followed it up with an offensive spell that had the blonde wizard stumbling back, her godfather's eyes flashed with pride. Pleased at his unspoken approval, Harri responded with a quick grin of her own.

The moment of inattentiveness would cost them both.

Bellatrix let out a vicious snarl, swiping her wand arm outwards in a wicked slashing movement. Sirius let out a sharp grunt as he jerked backwards, gripping his arm as his wand clattered to the ground, snapped in two.

Harri let out a sharp sound of dismay, “No!”

The older witch cackled gleefully, swinging her arm back before jabbing it forward like a blade, a string of incomprehensible words spilling from her lips like an dark oath.

Afterwards, Harri would recall the next events happening in slow motion, but really it all happened in what could have been only a mere instant. As the incantation of Bellatrix’s spell left her lips, Sirius bristled beside Harri like a startled tomcat. Confident that she could block whatever came at them with a Shield spell, she took a step forward with her wand raised, a ‘Protego’ already on her lips. Realizing her intent, Sirius gripped her arm and yanked her backwards, shielding her body with his.

The purple jet of magic from Bellatrix's wand hit him straight in the chest, causing a startled gasp to spill from his lips and he collapsed to the ground.

Harri stared, her eyes wide in disbelief. Falling to her knees, she gripped his robes, trying to pull him into a sitting position. "Sirius..." she called out. "Sirius...?!"

Pale gray eyes stared at her, wide unseeing. Sirius let out a quiet sigh, her father's name spilling almost silently from his lips before his eyes fell shut.


	5. Pain, and the meaning thereof

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "Oho... You've never used an Unforgivable before, have you girly?" She straightened up, regarding the young witch like a feline watching a wounded bird. "You've got to mean it."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Whooo! I've been away from this a long time, haven't I? Sorry about that!
> 
> Here's a little bit to tide you over while I try to get back in the swing of things.
> 
> 4/25/16 - I forgot the beginning part of the chapter (no wonder it seemed so short...) Sorry about that!

   

"Sirius?  Sirius?!" The older wizard wasn't moving, wasn't responding no matter how many times she called his name. "SIRIUS?!"

 Was he unconcious?  She couldn't tell.  Why had he called her James?  She was Harri, didn't he remember?  "SIRIUS!!" Why wouldn't he answer?

 Just as she stepped forward to demand an answer - was he breathing? she couldn't tell - strong arms banded around her waist, pulling her out of the way of a stray spell.  She whipped around, her wild gaze falling on a pale-faced Remus.  Why wasn't he calling out to Sirius?  Surely he would answer _him_.  Was he ignoring her because she wasn't James?

 She looked back at her godfather only to realize he was further away - Remus was bodily dragging her further away from where he lay.  No, no, nononono she couldn't leave, they had to wake him up!  They had to--

 "I did it!  I did it!  I killed Sirius Black!"

 Glassy green eyes zeroed in on the wild-haired witch cackling gleefully over Sirius' prostrate form.  Their gazes met and Bellatrix smiled a gleeful grin before scampering away.

 Remus' grip was strong, but a quick jab of her elbow to his ribcage was enough to secure her freedom.  Before he could call out a warning, Harri shot off after the witch, wand clutched tightly in hand.

 --

Locating the female Deatheater was disturbingly easy as her horrid cackling could be heard echoing all the way down the empty corridor.

"I killed Sirius Black! I killed Sirius Black!"

Harri tracked her down in the main atrium, randomly shooting sparks at the large, statuesque fountain situated in the center of the room. "He's dead, he's dead, he's dead dead dead!"

She yelled out the disarming charm, swallowing a cry of frustration as it was easily deflected by the older witch. "Stop saying that!" she exclaimed.

Bellatrix merely laughed, sneering at her with yellowed teeth bared. "What's wrong, widdle baby? Does that upset you? Are you sad that he's gone?"

"Shut up!" Harri hissed, the grain of wand biting into her palms.

The older witch kept laughing. "Awwww, poor thing! Did you _love_ him?"

She hated this woman, she realized. Hated the woman that had hurt Sirius, had hurt Neville, had hurt his parents. She caused nothing but pain, and laughed as if it was funny. It seemed only fair that she _hurt_ just as much as everyone else...

Quick as the spell had entered her brain, Harris' wand snapped up as she yelled out, " _Crucio_!"

Startled, Bellatrix stumbled backwards, losing her footing for a moment. Before long however, she was up again, a gleeful cackle spilling from her lips. It only got louder as she witnessed the confusion on the younger girl's face. "Oho... You've never used an Unforgivable before, have you, girly?" She straightened up, regarding the young witch like a feline watching a wounded bird. "You've got to mean it."

Harri glared back at her, wand still raised.

"You think that righteous anger of yours is enough to do the trick, but you're wrong," she jeered at her. "You have to _want_ to cause pain... enjoy causing it..." She paused, her eyes lighting up with sadistic glee. "I'll show you-- ** _CRUCIO_**!"

Harri ducked, scrambling behind the fountain for shelter. Marble bits broke free as the spell ricocheted against its surface, forcing her around to the other side. Certain that this is what the old witch had intended, Harri already had a Protego up as she came around the bend, following it with a stunning spell of her own.

Bellatrix blocked this easily enough, her desire for murder and mayhem clear on her face. Gone was the sneering, mocking baby voice as she fired another spell.  Harri was reminded that there was a reason she had been sentenced to life-imprisonment in Azkaban.  "Silly little girl! Do you really think you have a chance against me? I am the Dark Lord's greatest and most loyal servant! Your magic is nothing compared to mine; I know spells that you cannot even fathom!"

"I'm not afraid of you!" Harri sneered. "Or your half-blood master!"

The Deatheater hissed in fury, blocking the girl's stunning spell with a _Protego_ that sent it skittering back towards her. "You little wretch!" she seethed. "I'll kill you and pry the Prophecy from your corpse!!"

She hadn't seen it break, Harri wondered? Realizing the older witch had missed its destruction during her duel with Tonks, Harri let out a dark chuckle of her own. "Good luck with that," she muttered. "The Prophecy is gone!"

Bellatrix faltered before sneering once more. "You lie!" she spat.

"Nope," Harri countered. "You failed. And best of all, your master knows it."

Uncertain, Bellatrix's expression held the faintest touch of fear. "It cannot be true..."

"It broke while we were fighting Malfoy," Harri insisted. "Now no one will hear it."

Panting heavily, Bellatrix took a step backwards, her eyes darting around the room as if she expected the Prophecy to suddenly appear. "It's not true... It's not true... Forgive me, Master...! Forgive me...!"

"He can't hear you!" Harri jeered, hoping it would aggravate her. Raising her wand once more, she was halted by the sudden stabbing pain emanating from her scar.

"What makes you so certain that I can't, _Potter_?" a cold voice whispered.


	6. Standoff

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> "It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom,"

" _What makes you so certain that I can't, Potter?" a cold voice whispered._

Staggering at the pain assaulting her scar, Harri turned watering eyes towards the tall, wraith-like figured that suddenly appeared in the center of the room. He was still as pale and gaunt as he had been in the graveyard, his snake-like countenance and glittering red eyes just as they had appeared in her nightmares. With both his gaze and his wand centered on her, Harri found herself frozen in place.

He stared at her, his gaze laser sharp. Harri could almost feel spider-like fingers prying the truth from her mind. They were cold and painful, reminiscent of the feeling in her chest at the sight of Sirius laying quiet and still on the ruined floor.  She could feel the grief solidifying in her chest like tiny shards of ice, stealing her breath away.  "So my Prophecy has indeed been destroyed..." he murmured. "Months of preparation and planning... Foiled by a simple little girl..."

"Master," Bellatrix wailed, falling prostrate at his feet. "Please forgive me, Master! I did not know! I--"

" _Silence_ , Bella," Voldemort cut in sharply. "I will deal with you later."

"But Master!" she insisted. "He is here--not far from here--if he--"

The dark wizard raised a hand, silencing her once more. He turned his attention back to Harri, his expression disdainful. "You have cost me my goal," he said softly. "So I have no further use for you." Still paralyzed, Harri could only watch as he levelled his wand at her once more. " **AVADA KEDAVRA**!!"

Harri remained frozen as the killing curse hurtled towards her. She remained frozen as one of the statues from the fountain, a wizard bearing a golden shield, leapt down and blocked the curse from hitting her. She remained frozen even as invisible hands grasped her, dragging her backwards and out of the crossfire.

"What?" Voldemort hissed, staring beyond her to the atrium entrance. His eyes widened at who he saw there. "Dumbledore!"

Harri turned, eyes falling on older wizard. His face was solemn; his eyes lacking their usual twinkle. 

Sirius was not with him. _'He's not gone. He's not gone. He's notnotnotnotnot_...'

Forgetting her momentarily, Voldemort fired off another jet of green light only to curse as it was deflected with a flick of the headmaster's wand. Another flick had the remaining statues on the fountain rising from their positions to converge upon Bellatrix. The Deatheater screamed and cursed, firing spell after spell to hold them off. Eventually one of them - a witch - dove at her, pinning her to the ground where she shrieked and yelled helplessly.

The golden goblin and house-elf vanished into one of the dark hallways while the shield-bearing wizard maintained its sentinel position in front of Harri. Another flick of Dumbledore's wand had the centaur galloping towards Voldemort with its shield raised. A slashing wave of his opponent's own wand rendered it a pile of rubble. Afterwards, the dark wizard regarded him with a serpentine sneer.

"It was foolish of you to come here tonight, Tom," Dumbledore said quietly. "The Aurors are on their way---"

"By which time I will be long gone and you will be dead!" Voldemort spat, firing off another spell.

Harri could only watch helplessly as the two wizards battled each other, firing spell after spell, conjuring magic that had the air sparking and sizzling with energy. More than once Harri could feel her hair standing on its end.

At one point, Dumbledore shot off a spell that Voldemort blocked with a silvery, dome-like shield. The spell ricocheted harmlessly off of its surface, but let off a loud, echoing sound. "You are _pathetic_ , Dumbledore!" he called out. "Despite all this, you do not seek to kill me?"

"There are other ways of destroying a man," Dumbledore murmured quietly. "You and I both know this." Wand still raised, he approached the other man slowly, his face perfectly calm. "I must confess merely taking your life would not satisfy me--"

"Fool!" Voldemort spat. "There is _nothing_ worse than death!"

Tucked away behind her golden sentinel, Harri jerked at the evil wizard's declaration. Her mind went back to Sirius. So quiet, so still, why wouldn't he answer? _He's not dead, he can't be dead, not after everything._ She had to go to him, she had to go and see---

"Harri, don't move!!"

Green eyes widened at the headmaster's sharp tone and Harri turned, startled at what looked like fear in the older wizard's face. Before she could question his order--after all, why should she heed him after all the times he had ignored her?--pain unlike anything else struck her hard. It started in her scar and spread rapidly throughout her body like a poison. She couldn't move, couldn't think, could scarcely breathe.

A high, sinister voice echoed in her head, _**You lose, Old Man...**_

~~ ~~

She dropped like a stone to the cold unyielding floor, wanting to curl up and away from the sensation, but paralyzed against the pain ravishing her mind and body. She was trapped, caught within the jaws of a creature that only wanted to cause her more agonizing suffering. Surely she was dead; her body just hadn't realized it yet.

 _Not yet, not yet..._ a voice in her mind whispered. _We're not done yet_...

She wanted to sob, but she could not muster the breath. Was this what death felt like? Was this how Sirius felt when he died?

 _'Nononono... I'm so sorry, Sirius... So sorry, so sorry_...'

As if feeding upon her grief, the pain sunk its claws deeper into her, taking control of her. Through it, Harri's lips moved, her mouth rasping out words, " ** _Kill me, Dumbledore... Kill me, now_**..."

That would end the pain, wouldn't it? It hurt so much...

" ** _If death is nothing as you say, kill the girl_**..."

 _'It hurts. It hurtshurtshurts. If I die it will stop, won't it? If I die, I'll see Sirius again, won't I...?_ '

She pictured her godfather's face, remembered the pride in his eyes as they stood side by side. The pain loosened its grip and she pushed back against it, desperate for relief. Suddenly she could feel the floor beneath her, could feel air in her lungs, as she took a gasping breath.

"Pathetic..." the cold sibilant voice intoned. She lifted her head, gazing up at the dark wizard towering over her.  His sibilant features were twisted in an expression of disgust and disdain.  "You are silly little girl, Harri Potter. You are weak..."

She glanced over at Dumbledore a few feet away, his pale eyed gaze focused on her instead of the wizard standing over her. She thought of Remus, and Tonks, and all the Order members who had come to rescue them. She thought of her friends, who followed her here to the Department of Mysteries despite all the odds stacked against them. Even as beaten and broken down as she was, she didn't feel weak at all.

"I'm not weak..." she rasped out, meeting Voldemort's gaze head on. Athough her arms shook with the effort, she slowly pushed herself up on her elbows. "You are... You don't even realize it... and that makes you even more pathetic!"

Voldemort regarded with a sneer, his thin lips curling in disgust. He raised his wand to retaliate with a spell, halting at the roar of several active Floo chambers. Several fireplaces lit up, dozens of witches and wizards spilling out of them into the atrium. Amongst the crowd were the little golden goblin and house-elf Dumbledore had animated and sent off, between them the prime minister himself, Cornelius Fudge.

Straightening up, Voldemort flicked his wand, shattering the statue still pinning Bellatrix in place. With a dramatic flap of his robe, he and his servant Disapparated in a poof of dark smoke.

Several people cried out in alarm, and above the din Fudge could be heard demanding explanations from anyone who would look his way.

"Was that him?" he exclaimed. "Is _You-Know-Who_ really back?!"

The headmaster paid him no heed, rushing over to Harri's side.  Heedless of the grit and debris surrounding them, he knelt down and gently grasped her shoulders, easing her into a sitting position. "Harri," he called out urgently.

The brunette gazed up into his pale blue eyes, only mildly concerned at how they seemed to be fading in and out of focus. Curious; she hadn't realized just how exhausted she was.  "He's gone, professor?" she managed.  Even that had taken effort!

"He is," he confirmed. "For now."

She considered this a moment, before slowly closing her eyes. "Okay."

After that, she knew no more.


End file.
